The family of a Bath woman who went missing have thanked the community for its help in finding her.

Janet Aplin, 58, who went missing on Sunday, was found unhurt at 11pm last night in the Oldfield Park area of the city after her car was spotted by members of the public.

Her eldest daughter Samantha Meggat, 32, who runs the Victoria Hotel, on Millmead Road, has thanked local people for their support and help.

She said: “We just want to thank everyone who has helped Tweeting or posting information on Facebook, the shops that put up posters. People really have been fantastic.

“We especially want to thank the police. They were so, so good at keeping us updated.

“We are massively relieved to have mum home.”

Mrs Aplin went missing on Sunday evening after visiting her own mother at the Avon Court care home in Chippenham.

The mother-of-two is well known within the city having been the landlady at the Victoria Hotel for more than 20 years. Before that she and her husband Steven, 59, had run Bath’s Liberal Club

Mrs Aplin was also an active member of the parent teacher association at the former South Twerton Junior School for a number of years, and used to volunteer in a number of Bath’s charity shops.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said officers were called to the Oldfield Park area after Mrs Aplin’s car was spotted last night at around 6.45pm, Mrs Aplin was found a few hours later within the area unhurt.

Chief Supt Geoff Spicer said: “It was thanks to members of the public and diligent searching by our officers that Mrs Aplin is back with her family.

“We received a report of a sighting of her, we confirmed it was her on CCTV, and we then employed considerable resources including a dog handler and a police helicopter to search for her. I would like to thank everyone who helped us to find her safe and well.”